Today at 9:00 am Eastern Standard Time, Janis Trading Company launched pre-orders for the NTH Tropics. If you recall, Janis’s owner and designer, Chris Vail, created NTH to reinterpret classic watch designs with a modern twist. The first line, the Subs, reinvented the iconic Submariner style dive watches – and in this Bum’s humble opinion, did so brilliantly (read my review here).
The new line was inspired by mid-century compressor-case diving watches, and Chris has kept them appropriately mid-sized. The case is 40mm wide, 48mm long, and 12mm thick. Each Tropics model shares the same dual-crown, cylindrical case with straight lugs, raised double-domed anti-reflective sapphire crystal, and a case-back stamped with a diving bell in high relief. The case nails the vintage look, but then updates it with a lumed internal bezel, faceted lugs, a combination brushed/polished case, and a signed and lumed crown.
Two models are offered. The Antillies features applied baton markers on a sunray dial. The Azores has large, lumed darts with a textured dial. Both have different color options. The watches will come with a beads of rice bracelet with expansion clasp, and a perforated “tropic” rubber strap. Of course, the watches are rated for 200m water resistance. In a departure for Janis Trading, the new watches use a Swiss Tech Production STP1-11 movement. This 24 jewel automatic has a hacking second hand, 28.8k bph beat rate, and 44 hour power reserve.
Pre-order prices start at $450 and will will go up based on the number of pieces sold. Closer to the projected delivery date, they will go up to their full price of $700-725, depending on model, so if you like what you see, I’d recommend you act fast to get the best deal.
Photos courtesy of Janis Trading Company.
